Motorcycle mayhem: Family speaks

(NBC NEWS) --Police in New York have confiscated a motorcycle helmet and camera as they continue to look for clues into exactly what happened during a violent highway confrontation there Sunday.

One person has been charged.

Two others suffered severe injuries in the incident between a family in a S.U.V and a group of motorcyclists.

The wife of the man dragged from his S.U.V. and beaten Sunday in New York City by a group of motorcyclists says her husband did what he had to do to protect his family.

In a written statement Thursday, the wife of Alexian Lien offered sympathy to the rider ran down as Lien tried to escape the group attacking his Range Rover on Manhattan's West Side Highway.

In the statement, Lien's wife maintained quote, "We were faced with a life-threatening situation, and my husband was forced under the circumstances to take the actions that he did in order to protect the lives of our entire family."

A YouTube video shows riders surrounding the S.U.V. and bringing it to a stop.

That's when Lien speeds off hitting one of the riders.

Later, the group of 20 to 30 riders surrounds the car again as one rider is seen breaking the driver's side window.

The video ends before showing Lien being beaten.

The incident has some New York lawmakers calling for new laws to prevent large unauthorized rolling bike rallies.

They showed reporters new video of the same group of bikers leaving a gas station shortly before the attack happened.

"We are outraged. We think this behavior has to stop," said New York State Assembly Member Gabriela Rosa.

One rider has been arrested and charged with unlawful imprisonment and reckless driving.

His lawyer says while Christopher Cruz did stop his motorcycle, he had nothing to do with Lien's beating.